Trips Through the Snow
by The Silent Assassin HB
Summary: He takes the trip every year, but nothing ever comes of it. Every year he wishes the outcome would be different, but it never is. He always hopes to see her again, but he never does. Will this year be different? NoahxCourtney NxC
1. Hopeless

_Hopeless_

The snow fell lazily, almost as an afterthought, from the fraught gray clouds overhead. Afternoon in the park boasted only happy, family-types this day before Christmas. Fathers, charged with keeping the children out of the way, pushed swings and stood at the foot of slides and threw balls in the company of their progeny. Teenagers stole last minute meetings with their friends before being consigned to the doubtful felicity of family celebrations. Couples strolled, hand in hand, oblivious to all others, enjoying the festive, holiday atmosphere of the small neighborhood park.

Noah Blaire observed it all with seemingly bored, impassive eyes. But in reality he was searching for a familiar head of sleek brown hair. He scowled at the happy atmosphere around him and scuffed the slick ice covered sidewalk irritably. He hated coming here, but most of all he hated himself for not being able to stay away.

It was on this day four years ago when Noah had seen her. He had been in town to visit family for the holidays. Being an only child resulted in his family often visiting faraway relatives nearly every Christmas. For this reason Christmas annoyed Noah. He didn't hate it, he loved spending a quiet Christmas with his mother and father, but it was just too much when he was cramped in a three bedroom house with twenty other people. They usually ignored him, which was fine with Noah, but the noise was just to much.

He had managed to escape the horror that was his Aunt Marie's cooking that Christmas Eve and had run out for some fresh air. Honestly, he was almost as bad at cooking as Chef was. Noah actually shuddered at the thought of good old Chef Hatchet attempting to bake a fruitcake. He only intended to take a breather from his relatives, but soon found himself walking down the street. Eventually he had come across a small park not to far from his relatives house. It was more crowded then, but even through the swarm of people he had recognized her. Granted Noah almost walked right past her without noticing her.

Courtney was sitting on a bench near the center of the park. Noah almost walked right past her without recognizing her, but he did a double take once he saw that familiar scowl on her face. She was reading a book, and evidently something she read seemed to tick her off. She was so engrossed in the book she didn't even notice Noah standing three feet away from her. His stomach had clenched, as had his hands in his pockets. He attempted to say something to her only to have his throat, like his stomach, clench up effectively trapping the words. With that he had turned tail and trudged back to his relatives house in the ankle deep snow.

Looking back on it now, Noah's fists clenched in memory of his cowardice, and he did another visual sweep of the park. Though he had never seen Courtney again since that day she had made him look forward to visiting his relatives every year. The trip had become an annual event for Noah, as he hoped against hope to see her again, in the very park on Christmas Eve.

"And for what." He muttered to himself shoving his hands deeper into his pockets. "It's not like I have the guts to talk to her now anymore than I did then. This is hopeless!"

Ignoring the odd looks people shot his way, Noah continued his trip through the snow.

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**Gutentag! It is I, the Silent Assassin, writing a Christmas story of all things! With my favorite couple that isn't DxC, Noah and Courtney. Thanks go to my friend Blacktwist for writing some of the descriptions. But shh, don't tell her this is a NxC story. She thinks its DxC and absolutely hates anything non-canon. XD! She wouldn't help me if it wasn't canon. This is my first attempt at NoahxCourtney so be gentle. They're probably OOC, but hey, that's my speacialty. So keep reading to find out if Noah finds what hes looking for! And don't forget to review.**

**Happy Holidays,**

**Silent Assassin**


	2. Reasons Why

_Reasons Why_

In the beginning, Noah never really talked to Courtney. He never talked to anyone for that matter. But it was right when Total Drama Action was first starting when their unlikely friendship had begun.

Courtney had become fairly bitter after she wasn't aloud to be on TDA. She was constantly angry and was always snapping at people, so the others pretty much stayed away from her. Even Bridgette stopped hanging out with her at some point. She spent most of her time alone, constantly screaming at someone on her PDA, and to be honest, that made Noah a bit upset.

Courtney seemed like she was turning into Noah. A meaner, angrier, louder Noah, but a Noah all the same. Maybe a combination between Noah and Heather… Anyways, he had been alone most of his life, and that suited him just fine, but from what he could tell Courtney was used to attention. So one day at the new Playa De Losers he decided to intervene.

Courtney had been out by the pool, alone, reading. She was in one of her calm moods and Noah was thankful for that. Without saying a single word Noah had plopped down in the chair beside her and started reading. Minutes passed in silence and Noah could tell Courtney was just itching for a reason to snap at him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Courtney lift her head to glare at him every five seconds and then resume her reading. She finally had enough he snapped her book closed glaring at Noah fully.

"Can I help you?" She had asked. Noah looked up from his book, his usual bored expression plastered across his face. He cocked a questioning eyebrow at her.

"What?" He drawled.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Reading." Noah had answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which it pretty much was.

"Why here?" Courtney snapped. Noah shrugged and returned to his book.

"It's nice out today, and the others are being to loud for me to concentrate." He had answered. It wasn't a total lie. The others were at one of Geoff's 'Pity Fiestas' he always threw when a new loser joined their ranks over at the aftermath studio, but it had been a nice day. It was pleasantly warm and quiet outside, the only sounds being the occasional chirp of a bird as it flew overhead. In all it was a perfect day to just lie out in the sun like a fat cat and relax all day.

Courtney had nodded, though she still looked suspicious.

"Yeah… I guess it is nice out." She muttered. That said she returned to her own book and grudgingly resumed reading.

It had become a regular thing between them after that. Near the end of the day, after Courtney had stopped yelling at her lawyers, she would go find a place where the others weren't around to read. Noah would find her, sit beside her, and they would read in silence. Courtney would protest once or twice, but she always gave up and let him sit beside her after he would claim she had a good taste in finding peaceful places.

The silent reading lasted for about a week before words were exchanged. It started out small, Courtney would greet Noah once he sat beside her, and they would continue their silent reading, as was their tradition. But eventually they both became more talkative. Courtney would ask what book Noah was reading, Noah would ask her who her favorite author was, and they would discuss their favorite genres. At one point they even read the same book and would discuss it as they went along. Soon it went beyond their daily reading sessions. They would seek each other out during the day and hang out together. They sat together at meals, watched the episodes of TDA together, and pretty much did everything together.

They became the best of friends.

If one was missing, so was the other. Where one was, the other could be found. If one was sad, the other was sad as well. If one was angry, (which Courtney hadn't been for quite some time) the other was just as mad.

Noah treasured the time he spent with Courtney. She was just so… Noah didn't know how to describe it. Tolerable wasn't the word. Perfect didn't work either, she had her flaws, just like anyone else. Noah figured… likeable would be the best word. Likeable to him at least. Unique even. Different. Yeah, that's the word. Different. She was different from the girls Noah had met before. She wasn't overbearing, like his little cousin Angel. She wasn't too girly, like Sadie and Katie. She wasn't insane, like Izzy. She had her anger issues, but they weren't at all like Eva's. She wasn't mellow like Bridgette, but that just made her all the more mature and responsible. She wasn't… dim like Lindsay, and Noah loved that he could hold an intelligent conversation with her. And despite what the others believed, Courtney WAS NOT evil, like Heather. All in all Courtney wasn't perfect, as said before, but she was perfect for Noah.

It had all been so… _innocent _back then. Before things got complicated.

They had found solace in each other while the other cast mates shunned them. It was natural really, for two outcasts to come together in order to stay strong. They were never anything more than just friends…

Right?

_Then why… _Noah had asked himself, _Did it hurt so much to see her with Duncan when she went back?_

Enter complications.

It had been some of Noah's most miserable days when Courtney cleverly weaseled her way into the competition. He missed the afternoons when he and Courtney would read together, he missed it when they ate together, he missed it when they would watch the episodes together, he missed it when it was just the two of them.

He missed _her_.

And it just hurt _so much _to see her with Duncan.

But most of all, it hurt more than anything when she kissed Duncan at the finale, and never said a word to him. Courtney had been his best friend, his only friend, and the pain cut through him like a knife when she ran off with Duncan and never looked back.

After that Noah hadn't seen or heard from Courtney until months later when he saw her sitting on the bench on that cold Christmas Eve.

And he hadn't had the guts to say a word to the woman he loved.

Noah cursed under his breath. The sun was setting. Another Christmas Eve was coming to a close, and Courtney wasn't coming, but even worse, he wasn't going after her.

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**Daw. Cute past. Don't forget to review and tell me if you like the story. Thanks again to Blacktwist for help with some descriptions.**


	3. Thinking of You

_Thinking of You_

Noah pulled his red and green scarf, a Christmas present from his Uncle Joe, tighter around his neck. The temperature was dropping fast, like the sun, but he didn't much care. He was too… upset to care. He approached the bench in the center on the park, the very one Courtney had sat on all those years ago, and smiled a rueful smile.

"What am I doing here Courtney?" He asked the bench. When it didn't reply Noah shook his body roughly shaking off snowflakes as he did. "It's the same every year. I come, and you're not here. Where are you, I wonder, if you're not here?" The bench remained silent giving no sign of answering the distraught man. Noah sighed and shook his head. "Look at yourself Noah. Now you've resorted to talking to inanimate objects. You really have hit rock bottom. You're hopeless…" Reaching out a gloved hand Noah brushed away the snow and sat down on the bench.

The playground was a good distance away, more near towards the front of the park, so the noisy children weren't ever a problem. There was a large pond a few yards away that had frozen sometime during the winter, the ice glinting in the weak light of the lamp posts like diamonds. Noah smiled at the thought of what this place would be like during the summer. It would still be quiet he was sure. The currently dead tree above hi would probably be lush and green casting just the right amount of shade. Enough to keep you cool, but not so much that there wouldn't be enough light to read.

It was true, Courtney did have good taste in peaceful places.

Noah sighed loudly.

"I really _am _hopeless." He laughed, though it was empty or mirth. "Why do I keep coming here? Even _if_ by some cliché Christmas miracle I find you what would I say?" Noah paused to ponder that for a moment. What _would _he say if Courtney suddenly appeared out of nowhere? First, Noah would probably stare at her for a while; amazed at the fact she had appeared out of nowhere. Then he would bolt from the bench and run all the way back to his relatives house without looking back.

Noah sighed again.

"No, I can't run away again." He said to himself firmly. "I… I would ask you how you were. Yeah… You would tell me you've been doing great and that you're planning on running for president soon." Noah chuckled to himself and stared up at the now dark sky, a goofy smile on his face. "I would tell you I miss you, and then you would tell me you missed me to. We would go back to your place, since my place is way to overcrowded as it is, and I would finally be able to spend a Christmas Eve with you. We would sit beside each other in front of the fire, shoulder to shoulder, just like we always did. We would read, and we would talk every now and then. And then, on Christmas morning, we would have breakfast together. I don't know if you're a good cook, but you always told me you were. Then we would…" Noah stopped abruptly, realizing he hand been talking to himself. He groaned loudly and dropped his head into his hands.

"Man I'm pathetic…" He muttered bitterly. "Fantasizing about what I would do if I had the courage to actually talk to her… It wouldn't even be like that. She would show up with… with _Duncan _on her arm!" Noah spat out the word Duncan, as if it had a bad taste to it. "And they would laugh at me for being such a pathetic loser… For thinking Courtney still… cared about me after all this time. Laugh for thinking she would actually be with me when she's got a guy like Duncan chasing after her. I don't even have the guts to talk to her after all this time. Then they would leave, and this time I really wouldn't see Courtney ever again."

He couldn't believe it had come to this. Sitting on a bench in the freezing cold snow, alone on Christmas Eve, talking to himself about the woman he could never have.

"I just wish things could be like they were before…" He muttered bitterly.

Just another trip through the snow with no end in sight.

* * *

**Aww. Poor Noah. He misses Courtney. T_T And he's giving up hope. Keep reading to find out if he finds the happiness he's looking for.**


	4. Those Cliché Christmas Miracles

_Those Cliché Christmas Miracles_

Christmas Eve, with snow on the ground and the air frigid with wind, no one should be out alone. Despite that, a solitary figure remained in the small neighborhood park, oblivious to his surroundings as he wallowed in self-pity. It was for this reason that he was startled by the arrival of another solitary soul…

"Noah?" Jerked from his self-pity Noah's eyes looked up to the person who had spoken, surprise clearly written across his features.

His heart skipped a beat, for he found himself staring into the smoldering black eyes of the object of his self-pity.

Courtney.

She was staring down at him, slack jawed and wide-eyed. Then suddenly she grinned at him from ear to ear.

"No-ah-lot! It is you!" She exclaimed happily while Noah stared up at her dumbly. He was too shocked to even bask in the fact that she still remembered the nickname she gave him all those years ago. Courtney's grin faded soon and gazed down at Noah, curiosity sparkling in her black eyes. "What on earth are you doing out here?" She asked. Noah was at a loss for words. Courtney had practically appeared out of nowhere.

Well, wasn't he just asking himself about that ten seconds ago?!

_Come on Noah, say something! _He silently urged himself.

"Uh… hey." Noah said meekly. _… Hey? Hey?! After four years of waiting around for her the only thing I can manage to say when I finally find her is HEY?! HOPELESS! _But to his immense relief Courtney smiled at him.

He missed her smile.

"Hey." She laughed.

He missed her laugh.

She looked different, but not so much different than the last time he had seen her four years ago. Obviously she looked older, but still very young. Courtney's hair was still that beautiful chocolate brown color and still reached her shoulders. She was clad in a gray and white coat and wore thin white gloves that didn't seem to insulate her hands much. Her skin was still that wonderful tan color, but Noah could tell even through the dark tone her face was slightly flushed from the cold.

He missed _her_.

"What are you doing out here? Do you live around here?" Courtney asked. Noah blinked once, pulled form his musings.

"Uh… no." _Come on Noah! Say something logical that's more than one syllable long! Who are you, Duncan?! _Noah absolutely _refused _to be a Duncan. "I'm visiting family for the holidays." _… Better. _"… How have you been, Courtney?" She smiled at him again. Gods, that smile always could make his stomach do back flips.

"I'm fine, but you look half frozen to death. And I haven't seen you in so long! Come on, you're coming with me. We have a lot to talk about." Courtney said as she slipped her gloved hand in his. Noah nearly fainted on the spot.

"I, uh, I don't think… I have to get back to my relatives." Noah said as Courtney pulled him along the sidewalk away from the bench in the park.

"Don't worry about your family. I'm sure they wont miss you for a few more minutes." Courtney said confidently. Noah smiled at the back of her head. She always was so sure of herself. But was this really happening? Had Courtney really popped up out of nowhere and was now currently whisking him away to her place? It seemed to good to be true. Well, you know what they say about the gift and the horse and all that other nonsense.

So Noah's smile grew a little wider. He tightened his fingers over Courtney's and hurried so that he walked beside her step for step. At long last, Noah had found her.

Thank god for cliché Christmas miracles.

* * *

**Hazzah! Noah has found Courtney at last! But he still has no idea what to say to her. Also, just saying, I love describing Courtney's eyes as 'smoldering black eyes'. Gotta love it. Thanks go to Blacktwist for more descriptions. Don't forget to review. It's all writers really want. ^_^**


	5. Catching Up

_Catching Up_

After a ten minute walk through the snow Noah found himself sitting in small room with a blanket draped over his shoulders. The room was lit only by the blazing fire before him, Courtney having explained the power was out in the whole neighborhood, but he didn't mind. He was staring into the fire and frowning to himself as the flames danced in the hearth. He was beyond nervous. Noah finally had a chance to talk to Courtney again, but still had no idea what to say.

Courtney returned from the kitchen holding two mugs in one hand and a candle in the other. Without a word she sat down on the floor beside him and handed him a mug. Noah nodded in thanks and took a tentative sip of whatever was in the mug. To his delight he found it to be hot chocolate.

Minutes passed like that. Noah and Courtney sitting beside each other in silence, just like the good old days, but questioned burned within both of them making the air between the two friends crackle with tension. And unlike before when their silence was comforting, the silence between them now was more deafening than a whole army of loud campers.

"… So, you live here?" Noah asked doing a quick visual sweep on the living room. It was simple enough, merely a small room with a single large couch in the center that faced the fireplace and a tall bookshelf off to the side. pictures lined the walls, but in the dim light Noah couldn't make out what they were of.

"No. I'm visiting my parents for Christmas." Courtney answered. He felt rather than saw her shoulders relax slightly. The tension between them lessened slightly, but it was still there.

"Umm… Where are they?"

"At a friend's Christmas party. I didn't want to go with them, so I stayed here. They probably wont be back until morning." At the mention of parties Noah was suddenly reminded of a touchy subject for him. He glanced around the room again half expecting the object of his distaste for the past four years to jump out of the walls.

"So… Where's Duncan?" Noah asked as nonchalantly as possible. He didn't care if he was being straightforward, he wanted to know. Courtney looked over at him incredulously, surprised by the random question.

"Who?" Noah shot her a surprised look.

"Duncan. You know, green hair, piercings, major pain in the butt? You ran off with him after the finale and I didn't see you again for four years." He elaborated a little more bitterly than he would have liked. Courtney's eyes widened in understanding as she smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, that."

"Yeah. That."

"Well… after Duncan got his million at the end of the finale he and I left the studio. We went home, just like everybody else, but Duncan and I were still a couple and were still seeing each other." Noah successfully resisted the urge to flinch. "Things were going great until… until a month or two after the show." At that he listened attentively. "I was going to spend Christmas with him you see. It was a few days before Christmas and I had gone over to his house to make sure our plans were still on when I found him with another girl." She paused to from at the fire, a far off look in her eyes. Meanwhile Noah's blood was boiling in rage.

"He was cheating on you?" He asked evident disgust lacing his tone. Courtney nodded mutely, her heartbreaking expression illuminated by the warm light of the fire. It seemed like Duncan's betrayal hurt her even to this day. And to say the least, Noah was ticked off. How could Duncan be so stupid?! He was an idiot for letting such an amazing woman like Courtney go… But Courtney, being the proud woman she is, smiled and shook her head.

"Yeah, he was cheating on me, but I can't say I didn't deserve it." She muttered miserably. Noah glared at her.

"How could you say that? You shouldn't put yourself down for the ogre's stupidity." He snapped. Despite his harsh tone Courtney smiled a little wider and laughed weakly.

"I wasn't the nicest person near the end, and after the show ended things sort of… died between Duncan and me. Without the pressure of the cameras I think we didn't feel like we were expected to fall madly in love anymore." She sighed loudly, then continued. "At first I was completely heartbroken. After I trashed his house a bit I came here to spend Christmas with my parents. It wasn't a very merry holiday though, the entire time I was simply livid with Duncan for cheating on me, but after a while I realized… I was fine with it. And that I really _did _hate his guts. Plus, I still had my half of his million with me." She laughed again at that. A loud, hearty laugh filled with mirth while Noah stared at Courtney, astonished, piecing together what she had just said.

When Duncan had cheated on Courtney she fled to her parents home all those winters ago. She spent Christmas here with them that year. And it was in that year Noah had come across Courtney sitting on the bench in the park. It was because of Duncan Noah had found Courtney again.

Well. He would just have to thank the punk if he ever came across him again.

Cliché Christmas miracles and whatnot.

"Noah?" Pulled from his revelation Noah looked up at Courtney and was surprised to see that she was frowning again, this time at him.

"Yeah?" Courtney opened her mouth to say something, closed it, opened it again, then bit her lip. Noah smiled warmly recognizing the act from when she got flustered back when they were at the resort.

"I… well…" She sighed loudly and closed her eyes. "… I'." She muttered quickly. Noah smirked.

"I'm sorry, could you repeat that? I didn't quite hear you." He asked sweetly. Courtney sighed again and opened her eyes to glare at him.

"I said I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye!" She snapped. With a huff she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at the fire. Noah resisted the strong urge to laugh at her. It seemed some thing really didn't ever change. Courtney still had a short temper, and she still hated apologizing and only did so when she felt it was truly necessary.

"It's ok. I forgive you." Noah said nonchalantly with a small shrug of his shoulders. Courtney whipped her head back up to glare at him.

"But it's not ok! You were my best friend Noah! You were the only one who was nice to me back at the studio. You were always there for me when I needed you the most. And after everything we went through together I just left without a word and never bothered to contact you again. How can it just be _ok_?! You should be furious with me!" Noah watched her little tirade desperately trying to keep his amusement hidden.

Yep, some things _never _change.

"I forgave you a long time ago Courtney." Noah said seriously. Courtney blanked at that and gawked at him.

"Wh-what?" Noah couldn't stand it anymore. His mouth split into a wide grin. Ignoring her squeal of surprise he threw an arm over Courtney's shoulder pulling her into a strong one armed hug.

"You're my best friend Courtney. I could never stay mad at you, no matter what you do." He whispered. He felt Courtney instantly relax in his arms and breath a loud sigh of relief. His grin fell into a soft smile as Courtney shifted to lean into his embrace.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"For what?" Courtney turned her head slightly and smiled up at him.

"For always being there." Noah's heart swelled with pride when she said that. He couldn't remember a time when he had been happier than he was in that instant. How long had he dreamed of sitting here with Courtney by his side on Christmas Eve?

Far, far to long.

"… I missed you so much you know." Noah stated abruptly, almost as an afterthought. It was then when he realized that at some point his head had dropped so that their foreheads were touching and their noses brushed. Neither seemed fazed by the close proximity. The edges of Courtney's mouth curled upwards in a small smile as she stared up at him with, dare he say it, love and affection shining in her smoldering black eyes.

"I missed you to. More than you know." Those few words, however small, meant everything to Noah and he simply could not take it any longer. He closed the distance between them pressing his lips against hers. It was a chaste kiss, but it was overflowing with warmth, promises, and love that only they could understand. Once they pulled away they smiled fondly at each other before looking forward to stare into the fire.

Silence reigned once again. But for the first time in a long time, it was of the comfortable kind.

"… Why were you in the park anyways?" Courtney asked sleepily after a while. Noah smiled at the woman who was quickly falling asleep from her position against him. He chuckled slightly a placed a tender kiss on the top of her chocolate head of hair.

"Looking for you." He answered honestly. Courtney smiled a smile that cold easily be described as smug.

"Thought so…" She mumbled. And with that said, Courtney promptly fell asleep. Noah, smile still plastered across his face, shifted slightly so he could move the blanket on his shoulders to drape over the both of them. Lying back slowly so as not to disturb the woman in his arms Noah made himself comfortable and closed his eyes. Deciding to deal with his family later, Noah fell asleep, a goofy smile playing his lips.

This was how Noah came to be with the woman of his dreams on Christmas Eve.

And it was all thanks to the Neanderthal ogre of a punk, Duncan.

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**Mistletoe kisses are just a bit _too _cliche for me. So, like, yeah. At last Noah is with Courtney, and neither could be happier. There is one final chapter that will be posted tomorrow on Christmas day. An epiloge is more like it, and it will be shorter than the others, but it will be the last. Plz review, it's all I want for Christmas. ^_^ Thank you.**


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